Papaver plant named ‘Firefly’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Papaver  plant named ‘Firefly’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; and large flowers with bright red-colored petals.

Botanical designation: Papaver orientale.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Firefly’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Papaverplant, botanically known as Papaver orientale, commercially referred toas Oriental Poppy, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar nameFirefly.

The new Papaver is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new Papaver cultivars with compact planthabit and numerous flowers.

The new Papaver originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 2000 of two unnamed selections of Papaver orientale, not patented.The new Papaver was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2001 in acontrolled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, from theresultant progeny of the stated cross-pollination on the basis of itscompact plant habit, double flowers and flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Rijpwetering,The Netherlands since 2001, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Papaver are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Firefly have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Firefly’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Firefly’ as a new and distinct Papavercultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and relatively compact plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large single flowers with bright red-colored petals.

Plants of the cultivar Firefly differ from plants of the parentselections and other Papaver cultivars known to the Inventor, such asthe cultivar John III, not patented, in plant height as plants of thenew Papaver are more compact than plants of the parent selections andother cultivars known to the Inventor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Papaver.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical flower of ‘Firefly’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical leaf of ‘Firefly’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theabovementioned photographs and following observations and measurementswere grown in an outdoor nursery in Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands,and under conditions which closely approximate commercial productionconditions during the spring and summer. The photographs, measurementsand observations were taken during June when the plants were about oneyear old. During this time, day temperatures ranged from 14 to 27° C.and night temperatures ranged from 7 to 16° C.

-   Botanical classification: Papaver orientale cultivar Firefly.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver            orientale, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver            orientale, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to develop roots.—About 90 days at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; light brown to white in            color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Herbaceous perennial flowering plant; mostly upright;            narrow inverted triangle. Basally branching, rosette;            flowering stems arise from the base. Moderately vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 43 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 39 cm.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Shape:            Lanceolate, pinnately and deeply dissected. Length: About            27.3 cm. Width: About 11 cm. Leaf segment shape: Lanceolate;            mid-section and base, pinnatisect; apex, pinnatifid. Leaf            segment apex: Acute. Leaf segment base: Cuneate. Leaf            segment margin: Serrate; occasionally biserrate. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; very rough. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface:            143A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 143A to 143B. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: 143A. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 137C. Venation, upper surface: 138C            to 138D. Venation, lower surface: 143B to 143C. Petioles:            Length: Basal leaves, about 5.4 cm; stem leaves, about 4 mm.            Diameter: About 8 mm. Color: 144B to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single rotate flowers; flowers            terminal and face mostly upright. Flowers not persistent.            One flower per flowering stem.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            June to early July in The Netherlands.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three days.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 8.9 cm. Depth (height): About            4.6 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color: 137A to            137B.        -   Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: Rotate; about four petals            forming a cup-shaped corolla. Length: About 5.8 cm. Width:            About 6.1 cm. Shape: Broadly rhomboidal. Apex: Rounded to            slightly praemorse; slightly ruffled. Margin: Entire;            slightly ruffled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth;            glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: 44B; towards the base, 46A; basal stripes, 202A.            When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 44B; towards            the base, 46A; basal stripes, 202A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: About four. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width:            About 8 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Serrate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color,            upper surface: 143A. Color, lower surface: 143A; towards the            base, 145D.        -   Flowering stems (peduncles).—Length: About 38.4 cm.            Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length: About 12.3 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Pubescent; rough.            Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Numerous,            typically about 300. Stamen length: About 1.5 cm. Anther            shape: Narrowly oblong; basifixed; occasionally curved.            Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Between N186C and            202A. Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color: 187A;            towards the base, 155D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Between 197A and 202A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About            eleven. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma shape: Narrowly            oblong, flat. Stigma color: Between N186A and 200A. Ovary            color: 145A to 145B.        -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Type: Capsule. Length:            About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 cm. Color: 136A to 137A.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About 900. Length: About 1 mm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Closest to 202A to 202B.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Papaver have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Papaver.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Papaver have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from −25 to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Papaver plant named ‘Firefly’, asillustrated and described.